Five Red Berries
by lightkeykid
Summary: An early Christmas present from Marinette puts the ball firmly in Adrien's court when it comes to their relationship. At first, he's confused, but soon he realizes how he needs to use it. or, four ways Adrien found to kiss Marinette and the one way Marinette found.


_December 20th_

Marinette took a deep breath in. Today was the day. Eight years passed since they met, and two years since they found out each other's identities. She could do this. Every thing she had done lead up to this exact moment. Clutching the gift box in her sweaty hands, she waited for the elevator.

Being the Friday afternoon before Christmas, all of her coworkers at Agreste Fashion were clearing out. She was the only designer left on this floor. Once she delivered the gift, Marinette would be on her way too. As the numbers counted up to her floor, her anxiety returned. Was this gift worth the easy camaraderie they had now? Would he understand what she meant? Had she properly thought through the repercussions? When the elevator beeped, she froze. Was this really the right time?

Apparently it was because Adrien stepped onto the floor in front of her. As usual, he was his handsome self. His hair fell perfectly over his face, and she couldn't see one speck of dust on him. Adrien would have been the perfect clean-cut professional if not for one thing. He was wearing that grin, the same grin that made her fall in love with him a second time. Seeing that stupid smirk on his face helped unfreeze Marinette. It was do or die time. Time to shoot her shot.

"What are you doing on this floor?" She asked, stopping right in front of him. "I was just about to come to see you."

He raised a brow. "See how fate brings us together? I wanted to see you too." If anything, his smile got even wider.

She doubted fate was involved. If anything, it was his meddling kwami that tipped him off about her present. Adrien must have come down here to sneak around and find his present. Well, she would grant him that wish right now.

Marinette shoved the box into his hands. "This is for you!" She said quickly and pressed the up button for him again. "Make sure you don't open it until you get back to your office!" Before he could say a word, the elevator opened once more, and she shoved him inside. She waved at him as he sputtered in confusion. All she heard was a muffled, "Marinette!" before she turned away with a giggle.

The ball was in his court now.

—

Adrien nearly ran back to his office. He was only lucky that his father was coming back to Paris from his business trip tonight. Otherwise, he would have had to put on a calm facade when all he wanted to do was rip apart the packaging.

He closed the door behind him, and Plagg popped out of his suit jacket. "What do you think it is? Tikki-" Plagg started.

"Not now." He ripped open the wrapping paper and opened the box. When he saw the contents, his heart sped up. A single sprig of mistletoe with five berries sat atop a cream envelope titled, "Adrien." He carefully picked it up and opened it. What could be inside.

_Dear Adrien,_

_Tradition has it that when you kiss under a mistletoe, a berry is removed from the sprig. My gift to you is a mistletoe worth five kisses. Once I receive a berry, you redeem a kiss. Choose wisely, mon chaton._

_Always yours, Marinette._

Adrien dropped the note. A soft "What" escaped his lips. Marinette gave him a mistletoe for Christmas. Not just a mistletoe; no this was for a single purpose.

To kiss her.

Adrien's breath stopped for a second. Surely, this couldn't be real life. He dared not dream that Marinette would ever love him back. After their identities were revealed, Adrien accepted his place in her life. And true, life was a sweet torture by her side but not as hers. His mind raced at the possibilities, but one thought halted him in his tracks.

What _does_ Marinette want?

He hadn't realized he said it aloud until Plagg answered him. "She's still downstairs. You could just ask her."

Adrien smiled; that much he could do. He plucked a berry off the plant and sprinted out of his office. He opted for the stairs. If there weren't cameras everywhere, he would have transformed to get to her sooner. Four flights later, Adrien opened the door from the stairwell only to see the elevator doors close. He braced himself once more and raced against the elevator to reach the ground floor. By the end, he was breathless but he found her waiting for him in the foyer. Sitting on her shoulders were Tikki and Plagg. The kwamis floated away as Adrien neared.

Now it was Marinette's turn to smirk. "Someone said you were looking for me?" She said with a lilting tone. She looked like a Christmas present, his present. Her black hair was held back by a scarlet bow, and her lips matched the bow color. She had not been wearing that lipstick earlier, had she?

He stepped closer to her and took her hand. "For one kiss." Adrien gently placed the berry in her palm and a kiss on her cheek. It was barely a kiss, but he could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks as he stepped back.

Then, Marinette shook her head with a sigh. At least he could still see her smiling. Good. Maybe he hadn't messed everything up. Before he realized what was happening, she grabbed him by his lapel and pulled him toward her.

With their bodies flush, she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I guess I wasn't clear enough. This is your chance to have a kiss to remember, Adrien. You used one." Her breath tickled his ear. "You're not limited to my cheek. Here, let me show you." She placed her lips on the junction of his jaw and his lobe. Adrien shivered into the touch. He felt her lip curve against his skin. "See? Choose wisely," Marinette repeated as she moved away. She left a mess in her wake.

Adrien took that moment to collect himself. "And you're okay with this?" He had to ask. No matter what he wanted, he respected her too much to cross any boundary.

She smiled. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't have given it to you." With a wink, she turned and strode out the door.

Dumbfounded, Adrien watched her leave. Plagg settled onto his shoulder after a moment. "You know what to do now right?"

He did. Marinette had thrown the gauntlet, and he was ready to pick it up. If she wanted kisses, Adrien was ready to oblige.

_December 21st_

Marinette watched the snow fall outside her window the next evening. She was wrapped in a warm blanket and wore her pajamas. The scene outside entranced her. The lights of Paris lit up the clouds above the city. It looked magical. She massaged her hands. They ached after a long day of sewing. Even though she worked full-time at Agreste Fashions, Marinette still took time to hand make presents for her friends and family. Luckily, she finished most of her projects today. It was amazing what she could on her day off. Now all she had to was- THUNK!

There was only one maniac in her life that would be out on the roofs while it was snowing. She was proved right when Chat Noir jumped through her balcony hatch and onto her bed.

"Couldn't you text like a normal person, kitty?" Marinette giggled.

"That would have ruined the surprise, milady." He wagged his finger and held his other hand behind his back.

Marinette had to ask. "What surprise?" She dropped the blanket and rose from her chair.

He bowed and presented her with another berry. "If it isn't too much trouble, then I present to thee a token of thine own favor." He held one red berry between his claws.

She rolled her eyes. "What flowery language you have. I will take the berry however." She plucked it from his hands. As she did, he clasped her hand in his own.

His gloves were cold as ice; Marinette held back a gasp. "Chat! Your hand is so cold!"

Chat looked up at her with his big green eyes. "I came through the snow just for you, Mari. Won't you warm me up a little?" He pleaded.

Marinette relented. "Fine. But only if you warm your lips up before you-" she couldn't finish her sentence as Chat placed his oh-so-cold lips on her hand. He softly puckered the skin on the back of her hand. Marinette was frozen to her spot, but Chat did not lift his mouth from her skin. Instead, he made a trail of small pressured kisses up her arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake. Those bumps couldn't be from the cold because Marinette's skin felt like it was on fire.

After what felt like the hundredth kiss, Chat Noir stopped at her tank top strap and finally lifted his lips. He leaned close to her ear and whispered. "Did I choose wisely, Marinette?"

She turned to face him, and their noses brushed as she nodded. "But does that count as one kiss?" She asked hoarsely.

He grinned at her and winked. "My lips always touched your skin."

She swallowed once more and regained her composure. "You can bend the rules all you want." Marinette narrowed her eyes playfully. "You only have three kisses left."

Chat Noir was not phased by her glare. "As you wish, milady." With a dramatic flourish, he bowed deeply and climbed out of her skylight.

Marinette fell back onto the chaise lounge and sighed with her eyes closed. Tikki flitted out of her little nook. She looked at her chosen with concern. "Are you okay, Marinette?"

She cracked an eye open and said, "Oh, give me a few minutes to recover. I'll be fine," Marinette reassured her kwami. Tikki gave her a little hug on the cheek.

_December 22nd_

"Look, I really appreciate your father as a mentor, but he needs to work on his people skills. I wouldn't even mind if he just worked on his timing." Ladybug ranted as she delivered Adrien back to his home after the latest akuma attack.

The battle itself hadn't been hard, but Ladybug had to do it on her own today. Chat Noir couldn't show up while Adrien was held in a scrap of ugly fabric. One of Gabriel's latest fired interns wanted to punish everyone related to the Agreste name and started with Adrien's catwalk at the Christmas showcase. Once the showcase was wrapped up, he moved on to the rest of the city while looking for Gabriel Agreste.

"Father does what he wants when he wants. Who are we to judge him?" Adrien tried to sound playful, but she heard the resistance in his voice.

"What's wrong?" She took his hand.

Adrien smiled and pulled her into a hug. "I just… I hate it when I can't help you as Chat Noir. When I'm stuck as Adrien and you're on your own as Ladybug."

She pulled back a little and look up into his eyes. "Don't say things like that. Don't you know that you always help me, you silly cat? Whether you're fighting beside me as Chat or supporting me as Adrien, I need you." She tucked her head back onto his chest. They stood for a few moments, her heart syncing to his._ As if it wasn't already_, a small voice said inside her.

He loosened his grip slightly and withdrew something from his pocket. It was one of his berries. He dropped it in her hand, and without a word, placed a firm kiss where her hairline began. He lifted his lips, but they lingered close enough for Ladybug to feel his breath on her skin. Adrien tightened his arms round her once more, and he whispered, "I need you too."

After they broke apart and she began swinging back to her home, it felt as if she was going farther and farther away from her true home.

Adrien.

_December 23rd_

To give Gabriel the smallest bit of credit, he knew how to hire an excellent party planner. If one was mandated to attend a Christmas Gala two days before the holiday, it helped when the party was enjoyable. The Le Grand Paris ballroom was awash in tasteful holly decor with no garish tinsel in sight. The creme de la creme of Paris mingled under the soft chandelier light and dined on canapes. Marinette, an entry level designer on the other hand, nursed a glass of champagne in a corner and wondered where her partner was. He had yet to make an appearance. And he was the only reason she was here.

Not exactly. To tell the truth, she was also here to show off her new Ladybug-inspired ball gown. Her long sleeves draped off her arms, leaving her shoulders almost bare. The black fabric glinted red with every step she took. Her hair was piled in a bun in the back of her head. The only jewelry she wore were her earrings. She had seen more than a few turn their gaze toward her. Marinette did enjoy when her artwork was appreciated.

Taking a small sip of her champagne, she glanced at the clock above the Christmas tree. "Where are you Adrien?" She murmured against the flute lip.

"I'm right here," a voice said into her ear. She choked back a shriek to find Adrien standing behind her.

Marinette hit him with her clutch. "You." And again. "Fucking." Once more. "Idiot. Who does that?!" She hissed and turned away, trying to catch her breath once more.

Adrien hooked his arm around her waist and hugged her from behind. "I am truly sorry milady. I thought you heard me coming." He rested his chin on top of her head.

She leaned back against him. "If you ever scare me like that again, I am throwing you off the Eiffel Tower without your ring." She ran a finger over his right hand and lingered on his Miraculous. He threaded his fingers along her hands.

"But milady, won't you miss your favorite partner?" He asked, putting his chin on her shoulder, and pressed his cheek against hers.

They were flush once more, an occurrence more frequent after she gave him the mistletoe. Marinette could feel every angle of his body against hers. He was warm to the touch; she felt her own skin burning.

Marinette placed her mouth close to his and said, "I just might miss him," and turned away. In her left hand, she felt the berry slip in between her fingers. This was it. This was the moment she had waited for.

The Kiss.

But it wasn't what she expected. It was no kiss on the lips. Instead, Adrien placed his hands on her hips and pressed against her firmly. He pressed the tip of his nose against her earring and down the side of her neck. The soft ghost of a touch raised the flesh on her shoulder. He stopped right on her shoulder; it was the same place he left off as Chat Noir in her room.

"Adrien, what are you doing?" she said airily.

He did not respond verbally. He simply placed a kiss on her clavicle where her pulse beat faster than a ladybugs wings. After what felt like eternity, he said, "I am wondering how I am so lucky to have you in my life."

The moment he pulled away, Marinette felt like the world shifted.

She turned and finally got a good look at him. He wore his own colors of course. Chat Noir would be proud. Before she could compliment his outfit, he placed a finger on her lips. "Nathalie is probably looking for me right now. Here," he said, giving Marinette a small gift box. "Don't open this until you get home. Promise?"

Marinette nodded and tucked it away in her purse. It was the least she could do for him.

He lifted his finger and caressed her cheek. "I'm sorry I didn't spend more time with you tonight. You look absolutely stunning." With that, he slipped away from her and into the glistening crowd in the ballroom.

What could be in this box?

_December 24th_

It was just after midnight when Marinette finally finished undressing after the gala. The box had been on her mind the entire time, but she wanted to be fully aware when she opened it. After all, it was from Adrien.

Sitting on her bed next to a sleeping Tikki, Marinette stared at the box in her hands. If she hadn't seen the Miraculous on his finger at the gala, she would be more anxious right now. Marinette blew out a deep breath and carefully untied the box. She gasped when she saw the final berry inside, sitting on a note. She opened it with shaking hands.

_Dear Marinette,_

_I must say, you really have a way of telling me you want a kiss. Mistletoe bugaboo? Thank you for giving me this gift._

_You may not know, but I've wanted to kiss you since we were 14. Actually, you might have known that I wanted to kiss Ladybug at 14. I was never exactly subtle. But I know that you don't know this secret: I've wanted to kiss Marinette since we were 15. When I found out that you were the same person, my heart broke. If neither Marinette nor Ladybug was interested, then how could the girl who was both be? Then you gave me a gift greater than romance. You filled the missing part of my both my lives. You are precious to me, Marinette. You mean more to me than a stolen kiss or chance embrace._

_If I know you, you'll read this in the middle of the night or early in the morning. When you're ready to take the next step with me, I'll be there. The when doesn't matter for me; I would wait until the end of time for you. But today, I'll be waiting right outside your door, milady._

_Only yours, Adrien._

Marinette peeked out her window and found her target. There he was, sitting there like an idiot in the cold. It was snowing outside, for kwami's sake! As if he knew she was there, Adrien looked up at her window and smiled. Not his goofy grin or his practiced posed. She recognized it; it was the same smile she wore whenever she saw him. Any doubt she had melted away at that moment. It was time for their next step.

She threw her clothes on quicker than she ever had. Faster than when she overslept her final exams or even her interview at Agreste Fashion. Marinette gently slipped Tikki into her coat; there was no need for her to be awake for this conversation.

The snow fell gently around her as she made her way to the park. He rose from the bench when he saw her.

"You couldn't wait to read it, could you?" He laughed, stopping in front of her.

"If I hadn't read it, you would have frozen out here." She pointed out.

Adrien nodded. "That's true." He sobered a little. "And?"

Marinette opened her mouth, but all the words she had planned to say in the last eight years disappeared from her brain. Only three came to mind now. "I love you," she gasped, throwing her arms around his neck. She took a deep breath, in and out.

He hugged her in return, clutching her to him. "And I you, milady."

Marinette dropped a hand into her pocket (not the one with Tikki, of course (she was in love, not inconsiderate)) and rummaged for the last berry. She offered it to him. "Can I trade this for a kiss? It may be our final berry, but I think this kiss will last the rest of our lives."

She may have actually struck him dumb because all Adrien could do was nod like a maniac. With a giggle, Marinette stood on her tiptoes and placed her lips on his enthusiastically. He returned it with equal emotion.

Neither cared that they were covered in snow or that it was two in the morning. All that mattered to them was that they were together, at this moment and all the rest.


End file.
